


The Angel's a Natural-Born Healer

by orphan_account



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angela "Mercy" Ziegler is an Angel, Character Death, Coping, F/F, Grief/Mourning, Infant Death, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Motherhood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 18:49:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11237052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Shortly after their honeymoon, tragedy befalls the expecting Amari-Ziegler family...In the wake of her wife's maternal death, Fareeha finds herself overhelmed with the duties of new motherhood, and even with some family assistance, she's lost in a sea of grief. Perhaps, however, Angela still walks with her wife and daughter, serving the same purpose she did in life...to heal.“They were miracles. Both of them. Lives that were, and lives that could have been. We've lost both. And so, on them, I swear. I swear that, as long as my words hold power, you will never meet the same fate. For your mother, for your sister, and for myself. I swear, habibti, that no one shall ever hurt you.”





	1. Chapter 1 - Double Kill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our story begins shortly after the Amari-Ziegler honeymoon, and ends in a hospital's maternity ward...

“How do you feel about kids?”

  
Angela looked up from her novel to gaze at Fareeha.

  
Four months. It had been four months since their honeymoon. Four months before her wife had finally decided to ask about having kids. And, if you asked Dr. Ziegler herself, she'd say it was four months spent waiting for this exact moment.

  
Still, Angela raised her brows, as though she hadn't been waiting for Fareeha to ask this very question.

  
“Kids?” She questioned, eager to see her wife squirm.

  
Fareeha avoided Angela's eyes. “Of course, I figured that since we're technically a married couple-”

  
“Technically?” Angela chuckled. “Fareeha, we have a marriage certificate.”

  
“I know, I just meant that, in order to justify my...” The young woman sighed, burying her face in her palms. “I can't talk today.”

  
“Liebling,” Angela placed a bookmark in her novel in favor of focusing on her wife. “You can talk to me” she said, cupping her cheek in one hand. Angela's eyes met Fareeha's, and they gazed at one another before Fareeha relaxed, allowing the tension to seep from her body. Angela smiled at her, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose and proceeding to massage her back.  
“My mother once told me that children are inconvenient” Fareeha explained, in a soft tone.

  
Angela grinned. “Why would she say that?”

  
“Because,” It was Fareeha's turn to grin. “You love them so much that they become your whole world. And I remember, when she said that, she looked down at me, and in her eyes...I saw pride. Joy. And while I'd never truly wanted children of my own, in that moment I could understand.”

  
“Understand what?”

  
“I could understand why my mother did. Why she wanted children.” Fareeha answered. “There's a certain pride in seeing them grow into who they're meant to be. And Angela...I want to share that feeling with you.” There was no reply, and so Fareeha continued. “Of course, I completely understand if you don't want to have children, it's not necessary for a happy family. And whatever you want, I want as well, so-”

  
“Fareeha,” Angela hummed, silencing her wife. “There's no need to be so nervous. I'd love to start a family with you. A family that's more than simply the two of us.”

  
The stress in Fareeha's expression melted away, and a fire alit in her eye. She pulled Angela close in a warm embrace, smiling into her shoulder.

  
“Thank you, Angela” She whispered, practically giggling with glee. All of a sudden, Angela felt herself hoisted up off the couch and into a strong pair of arms, squeaking in surprise as her neck was attacked with kisses.

  
“Fareeha!” Angela laughed, as Fareeha peppered her skin with kisses. “What're you doing?”

  
“Why don't we start now?” Fareeha breathed, pulling her wife close. Angela's face grew pink with laughter and flushed embarrassment.

  
“Fareeha, it doesn't work that way, we're both women-!”

  
“Shh,” Fareeha said, pressing a finger to Angela's lips. “Just go along with it.”

  
“Fareeha-” Angela sighed, pressing a kiss to her wife's lips. Smiling, Fareeha hoisted her wife further into her arms and hurried away from the couch, apparently eager to, as she'd said, 'start now.'

 

* * *

 

Twins. That's what they'd been expecting. Yet here Fareeha sat, shivering in a stiff armchair, watching as her tiny pink wrinkle of a child was wheeled away in an isolette. A daughter. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Four pounds, four ounces. Underweight. A premature birth. And somewhere in these hospital corridors, Angela lay still. Unmoving. Silent.  
Lifeless.

  
And it had all started with a sudden change in plans, no less than three hours ago...

  
_“We're gonna have to do an emergency C-section.”_

  
_“What? Why?”_

  
_“Placental abruption. The placenta's detached itself from the wall of the uterus, making it unable to deliver the necessary amount of oxygenated blood to the twins” said the nurse, dressed accordingly in scrubs._

  
_“How long ago did this happen?” Fareeha prodded, desperate to figure out what exactly was happening to her wife and unborn children. Doctors hurried throughout the maternal ward, carrying equipment and barking orders to one another._

  
_“We can't be sure, but due to the movement of the twins in the womb, we're assuming that one of them dislodged the placenta as they were preparing to go into labor. It's been a few hours at least.”_

  
_Fareeha's eyes went wide with anger. “A few hours? Why didn't you pick up on this earlier?”_

  
_“Placental abruption is hard enough to find as is. And your wife wasn't showing any signs!”_  
_Fareeha grunted in frustration. “What's the plan?”_

  
_“Well, we're going to take your wife into an emergency C-section. Vaginal birth isn't a wise choice at this time, considering the circumstances.”_

  
_“But a c-section is more dangerous!”_

  
_“It's our only hope at this point, ma'am” the nurse told her. “If we allowed the birth to proceed as is, the chances of infant mortality would soar.”_

  
_Infant mortality. The words made her heart sink. There was a chance that her daughters-her and Angela's daughters-could die._

  
_“Okay,” Fareeha said, clenching her hands into fists. “Okay. Let's do it.”_

  
_“Prep the patient for emergency cesarean section!” Shouted the nurse, and like a hive of bees the medical squad hurried about the room. The sudden hustle caused Angela's eyes to widen in alarm._

  
_“Fareeha?” Angela asked, her voice hoarse and raw. Her body was soaked in sweat, causing strands of blonde hair to stick to her forehead. She reached out for her wife, resting her spare hand on her enormous belly. Fareeha immediately took Angela's outstretched hand, clasping on to it firmly._

  
_“You're going to be fine, Angela” Fareeha comforted her, pressing kisses to her hand. “We're going to have two wonderful baby girls, and in a few hours we'll get to hold them, and kiss them...” Fareeha stared deep into Angela's piercing blue eyes. “Do you still like the names we chose?”_

  
_At this, Angela seemed to relax a bit. “Anneliese...and Marya...” She sucked in a breath. “They're going to be beautiful.”_

  
_“Just like their mother” a smile played around Fareeha's lips, and Angela gave a weak grin._

  
_“Fareeha, there's two of us” Angela reminded her._

  
_“But last I checked, you were the one with the stunning beauty, and the intelligence, and the voluptuous figure-”_

  
_“I'm nine months pregnant, Fareeha” said Angela, though a smile played around her lips._

  
_Fareeha pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I know, and I-”_

  
_“ER is prepped!” Called a nurse, and the doctors at the sides of Angela's bed began to wheel her away._

  
_“Wait-!” Fareeha and Angela's arms stretched out, desperate to cling to one another, before their grips were broken by distance. Fareeha rushed to follow the bed on wheels, desperate to be with her wife, but a nurse slid in front of her to block her path._

  
_“Spouses aren't allowed in the room during an emergency c-section” she said, holding a clipboard close to her chest._

  
_“What?” Spat Fareeha, rage bridling within her. “She's my wife, and those are my kids! Angela-!”_

  
_“Ma'am, I'm going to need you to relax for me, your wife is in good hands-”_

  
_“Angela!” The nurse was small and plump, making it easy for Fareeha to barrel past her in pursuit of the bed on wheels. The staff rounded a corner and Angela's blonde hair whirled out of sight, Fareeha gaining speed in order to pursue. Doctors snapped at one another, and for a brief moment Fareeha thought she heard her name, before a hot mass pressed against her back and pinned her arms._

  
_“Ma'am, this is your last warning, if you don't stop resisting-” said a new voice._  
_“I need to be with my wife!”_

  
_“We understand that, but if you don't cease your resistance, you're going to be removed. What'll your wife say if you aren't there when she wakes up? Don't you want to be there for your children?”_

  
_“Yes! I want to be there for them the moment they're born! They're my children!”_  
_“But you can't do that! You have two choices here, wait in the waiting room or wait outside in the parking lot!”_

  
_At that, Fareeha stood still. As badly as she wanted to fight these nurses, she wasn't sure if being removed from the hospital was the wisest idea. Her rage subsided, and the young woman decided that justice would have to wait. Besides, these were medical professionals. Surely Angela was in good hands..._

 

 

“She lost too much blood” the nurse explained, standing over Fareeha. “Even with our emergency c-section, she'd still undergone some internal trauma. Not to mention the damage to her organs...miss, we did all we could. As for the infant...she simply wasn't ready.”

  
Fareeha said nothing. No tears graced her cheeks, and no fits of anger arose. She was quiet. Resilient. This behavior seemed to concern the nurse, who then asked, “Do you have someone coming for you?”

  
“My mother” Fareeha answered, her voice flat. “She'll be here in a half hour.”

  
The nurse seemed to be at a loss for words.

  
“It seems as though we have some spare time,” she said, choosing her words carefully. Fareeha sighed.

  
“I...” The nurse cleared her throat. “Would you like to see your daughter?”

  
Fareeha's finally looked up at her. “What?”

  
“She may still be in the ICN, but so long as you're sterile, you're allowed to visit her.” When Fareeha didn't respond, the nurse prodded her again. “She'll probably want to see her mother.”

  
Mother. The word sunk into Fareeha's mind. Mother. She was a mother. Somewhere in this maternal ward, her daughter lay alone. The thought made Fareeha's stomach churn.

  
“I need to see her” was Fareeha's answer. “Take me to her.”

  
The nurse nodded. “Right this way, Miss Amari-Ziegler.”

 

The ICN was a haunting place, thick with the scent of antiseptic and latex. Isolettes shaped like cocoons were scattered throughout the room, domed and carrying tiny lives within them. The nurse led Fareeha to one in the third row, one trimmed with green and emanating a fresh scent.

  
Reluctantly, she stepped over. Through the glass, Fareeha could see her. She was tiny, easily less than two feet in length, fleshy and pink. Wrinkles creased what should've been baby-soft skin, and her eyes seemed unnaturally large on her small face. Fareeha's hand met the glass as she gazed down at the life beneath her.

  
“She's beautiful” the nurse complimented, looking down at the newborn. “Blonde hair. And while all babies have blue eyes at birth...I think these are here to stay.” She cleared her throat. “Have you decided on a name?”

  
Fareeha looked up at the nurse, and finally she took the time to really see her. She had short brown hair pinned up in a bun, and thick black glasses atop a chubby face and a wide nose. A badge pinned to her shirt read 'Mei Ling-Zhou, PhD.'

  
“I...” She swallowed. “Malaika.”

  
“Hm?”

  
“I'm going to name her Malaika.” It was a compact little name, with an extra emphasis on the 'I'. With the attachment of a name came a new sort of fear, however.

  
“Will she live?” Fareeha questioned, keeping her voice as level as possible.

  
The nurse clicked her tongue. “Currently, your daughter's in a fragile state. She'll need to be carefully monitored for the next few days.”

  
“So, I can't bring her home?” Asked Fareeha.

  
The nurse shook her head. “She'll need to stay in the ICN for at least a few more days. Currently, she's underweight and she's been deprived of oxyen. It really depends on those two variables; we can supply her with oxygen, but we don't have breast milk to give her. She's scheduled to be given formula every two hours, but it isn't as nourishing as natural breast milk. Really, it's all a matter of time.”

  
Before Fareeha could reply, the nurse interjected with a quick question.

  
“Miss Amari-Ziegler, are you alright? You've been very...stoic, these past few hours.”

  
It was true. Fareeha had been stiff and rigid ever since she heard the news, yet she'd remained silent. It was almost inhuman, the way she'd drained herself of emotion. Anything she did feel was buried deep, suppressed beneath layers of military conditioning. And now, Fareeha found herself within that familiar headspace. She was a soldier. Emotionless. Stiff. Stoic in the face of strife.

  
“Yes,” Fareeha replied, voice level and firm. “I'm fine.”  
The nurse eyed her for a moment, almost in disbelief. Then, she raised her clipboard and examined her notes.

  
“Visiting hours are at 3 and 5 on weekdays. You're welcome to visit your daughter within those confines.” The nurse produced a small slip of paper from her pocket, labeled 'Parent Access'. In careful handwriting, she wrote Fareeha Amari-Ziegler – Patient B06 before handing the slip to Fareeha.

  
“Here's your visitation pass. Good for three days, hopefully your daughter won't be in here for much longer than that. But if she is, talk to me about a renewal.” The nurse then adjusted her glasses and asked, “Are you ready to go?”

  
“...Can I have a moment with her?” Fareeha asked. “Please? Just two minutes.”

  
At this, the nurse frowned. “Legally, I'm not allowed to leave my patients alone, even if it is with their parent. However, I can...turn around, and allow you some privacy?”

  
It wasn't ideal for Fareeha, but what other choice did she have?

  
“Yes, thank you.”  
“ _Bié kèqì_ ,” said Ms. Ling-Zhou, before turning on her heel and facing away from Fareeha.

  
Now was her moment of silence. Fareeha faced the isolette again, gripping its edges and studying the life inside.

  
“ _Habibti_ ,” Fareeha whispered, dropping to her knees. “I would be foolish to forget what's happened today,” She rested her forehead against the glass, her breath forming a haze against its surface. “And I know I never will. Every time there is silence, I know I'm going to hear them. Those we've lost today. Your mother may be a strong woman, _habibti_ , but still...she can't help but feel sad.” The dams were breaking, Fareeha knew it as tears clouded her vision. Yet she blinked them away, merely sniffling before continuing her speech. “They were miracles. Both of them. Lives that were, and lives that could have been. We've lost both. And so, on them, I swear. I swear that, as long as my words hold power, you will never meet the same fate. For your mother, for your sister, and for myself. I swear, _habibti_ , that no one shall ever hurt you.” Though she knew she shouldn't, Fareeha couldn't resist placing a kiss against the glass, silently praying it would reach her daughter. A moment of recovery, and Fareeha rose, wiping her tears away with a finger.

  
“That...” Nurse Ling-Zhou swallowed, and to her surprise, Fareeha saw that tears glistened her eyes as well. Quickly, the nurse wiped them away, avoiding Fareeha's line of sight and regaining her composure. “Right this way, ma'am.”

  
Fareeha followed her, their footsteps echoing in the silence, with the image burned into her brain of a small, sickly infant with fleshy pink skin.

  
_You'll live, Malakai. You're in their hands now, and they'll take care of you. The hands of angels._

 

 


	2. Chapter 2 - Double Rez

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela finds herself alive again...more or less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for the short chapter! I've been working a lot with my beta writer and main source of inspiration, so I expect that you'll all enjoy the story ahead ^_^

"Ah, ouch! Fareeha!"

"Angela?" Came the voice of her wife. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, I just..." Mercy faked a sniffle and struggled to contain her smile. "Come here, there's a problem."

Fareeha was at the kitchen table almost immediately, nearly tripping several times. Her eyes were wide with concern.

"Angela? What's the matter?" She settled into a chair, noticing the 'tears' in Angela's eyes. "Are you hurt?"

"N-no, I-"

"I'll call the doctor, okay? Sit tight!"

"Fareeha, no!" With a free hand, Angela gestured to her clenched fist, which lay curved on the table. Fareeha raised her brow at this.

"Did you cut your palm? Here, let me see." Fareeha reached over and seized Angela's fist, gently turning it over and prying the fingers apart. "Were you using knives? Maybe we can still-"

Upon fully opening up her wife's fist, Fareeha froze. In her palm was a long rod-like object, white and made of plastic. Delicately, as though it were made of glass, Fareeha picked up the pregnancy test and turned it over.

Two red lines were inked across the display screen. Fareeha gasped.

"Angela, you..." Suddenly very sweaty, Fareeha gulped, hands shaking ever-so-slightly."Is this real?"

Angela smiled.

"Yes, Fareeha." She leaned in and kissed her wife. "We're going to have a baby."

"Ah!" Fareeha yelled in excitement, hoisting Mercy up by her waist and swinging her over her head. "Finally! After months and months-this is really happening!" Fareeha pulled her wife into her arms, squeezing her in a vice grip. Hot tears flowed down her cheeks, creating hiccups as she laughed. 

"You-You scared me!" Said Fareeha.

Angela giggled, a clear and high sound. "I knew nothing else would work. You're too smart for any other tricks!"

"But I thought you were hurt!" Fareeha grumbled, though her heart was swelling from the praise. "...You're sure this is real?"

"Yes, Fareeha. I promise, I truly am pregnant. Almost two months along." She planted a kiss on Fareeha's forehead. "Do you really think I'd pull that kind of stunt?"

"No, no, of course not. I just..." Fareeha sighed dreamily. "Finally. We've been waiting for this for so long, and it's almost...like a dream."

 

* * *

 

Angela was dreaming. She had to be.

Why, exactly? Because, just a minute ago, she'd been dead on an operating table. And now, here she was, definitely  _not dead_.

Or...was she? The way that people ignored her as she stood in this very crowded hallway said otherwise. She was directly in the middle of it, yet no one acknowledged her presence.

A doctor came rushing through from around a corner. Before Mercy could call out to him, he barreled right through her-yes,  _through her!_ As if she were mist! Two more nurses did the same, and before Angela could voice her confusion, there was a flash of light.

There, right outside her peripheral vision, was a glowing ball of light. It wasn't unlike the souls she saw on the battlefield, glowing and luminescent. Perhaps that was why she was still here? Did she still have a job to do? Cautiously, she walked towards it, finding that she could easily glide through the walls.

Okay, she definitely _wasn't_ alive. She'd read about these types of things before, while she was polishing up here medicinal skills. Was she the victim of a failed ressurection? Thoughts and possibilities clouded her mind, yet the glowing light in the distance seized her attention once more. Whatever it was, all of Angela's instincts told her to go towards it, and fast.

She drifted through another wall, and suddenly she was in a new place. It was a room filled with dozens of tiny bassonetes, several with extra equipment attached to them. Curiosity compelling her, Angela took a peek inside.

She raised a brow. "A baby? Oh..." A sudden realization, then terror filled her mind. "The twins!"

Angela ran about the ICN in a frenzy, peeking inside every isolette for a familiar face. Would her twins both look different, or would they be identical? Perhaps the twins had a part in her being here, still alive, there had to be  _something_ -

Angela paused. The glowing light was right behind her, pulsating stronger than ever. She took a step towards it and looked down at the patient inside.

"Oh, Fareeha..." Inside the basonette was a tiny, bony baby with fleshy pink skin, and a tuft of blonde hair. Her eyes seemed too big for her face, and wrinkles covered what should've been baby soft skin.

A tear formed in Angela's eye. "Fareeha...we've done well. She's beautiful." Her joy was short-lived as another realization surfaced.

The infant was lying still, breathing only faintly despite her oxygen tanks. The glowing orb, which must have been her soul, was floating a short distance above her body. 

Angela had no time to think before her instincts took hold of her. She easily reached through the basonette and assessed the baby's breathing, finding that it was nonexistent. Years of medical experience taught Angela to restrain her panic, and she quickly set to work. Gently tilting the baby's forehead back, Angela opened the mouth wide enough to allow air passage and pinched her nose, gently blowing air down her windpipe. The chest began to rise and fall with Angela's breath, though the baby was still lying still. 

"Come on," Angela cursed under her breath, repeating her tactics. The baby's chest continued to rise and fall, and Angela quickened her efforts. Pinch the nose, blow in air. Make sure the head is tilted back so the mouth falls open. Repeat. It was all clockwork to Angela, the medical professional, and so she feverishly continued.

All of a sudden, there was a bobbing in the baby's throat. Then, the infant lurched forward and coughed. A definite sign of life! Yet her soul still levitated above her body, same as it's always been. Angela looked at it, then she glanced down at her daughter. Maybe, just maybe...

Upon touching the soul, Angela found that it was semi-solid, easily moved by her own two hands. With a surgeon's precision, she took hold of the orb and gently brought it down to the baby. Instantly, the soul swarmed around the baby's figure and became one with its physical body, causing it to squirm, cough, and then start to cry.

"Oh, _liebling_!" Angela sighed in relief. "You nearly scared me to death." 

At the sound of Angela's voice, the baby ceased its high-pitched whines, and slowly opened her eyes. They were a bit watery, but blue nontheless. She stared up at Angela with an intense gaze, remaining quiet and calm.

"Ah, can you see me, _mein maus_?" Angela tested her theory by slowly waving one hand. Sure enough, the baby followed her movements with her eyes. She was sure of it now, this had to be her baby. Why else would she be here, and why else would this baby be able to see her when no one else could? 

"...Just a moment, Aleksandra" said a quiet voice, and the door to the ICN creaked open. A small, chubby nurse in glasses and a tall, muscular woman with pink hair stepped into the nursery, the former armed with a clipboard. She strode towards Angela's basonette and peered in at the baby.

"Her eyes are open!" Said the nurse, sounding more frustrated than gleeful. "Aleksandra, we can't keep doing this, it's distracting me from my duties."

The tall woman, who must have been Aleksandra, seemed confused.

"Iz just a baby? What's ze big deal?" She said, speaking through a Russian accent.

Mei stamped her foot, and at that moment Angela caught sigh of a small bruise on her neck. Quarreling lovers...yep, she'd been there.

"Aleks, I've told you about this before! I'm supposed to be documenting this patient very carefully. We lost her mother during a c-section, and her twin due to a lack of oxygen. This one barely survived herself. I'm supposed to be documenting every single thing she does." Mei seized a nearby clipboard and pen, hurriedly writing notes on it. "I just...I don't want this one to die, Aleks. Their other parent didn't seem to be doing so good."

Aleksandra didn't seem to know what to do. So, she asked the question on her mind.

"Do I leave now?" Her voice was unnaturally cautious.

Mei hesitated before nodding. "Yes, Aleks. I think you should go. You're not supposed to be in here anyways."

Aleksandra looked thoroughly saddened by her response, but she complied, having to bend over to avoid scraping the doorframe on her way out. Mei remained in the ICN for a moment longer, seeming to sniffle a bit, before setting down her clipboard and finally leaving.

Angela could care less about the couple. They were unimportant compared to what the nurse had said. What was Fareeha doing? How could Angela get to her? If only she could see her right now, alive in some way, to put her worries at ease. 

At that moment, a tiny hand reached up for Angela. The baby flexed her fingers, stretching out as she tried to grasp her mother. Angela smiled, extending a single finger so the baby could wrap its hand around it. She was truly tiny, barely able to grasp Angela's finger. 

"Don't worry, my love" Angela said. "I'm not going to leave you." The new mother leaned downwards, pressing her forehead against her daughter's and closing her eyes. "I'll never leave you. No, I'm going to stay right here, and wait with you until we see Fareeha again. And while we wait, I'm going to keep you safe."

The baby released Angela's hand, settling back into a lazy slumber.

"You're in good hands now, _liebling_. The hands of angels."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations!  
> Mein maus - My mouse 
> 
> Also, I don't really ship Zarmei, but I have other plans for Junkrat so I couldn't use Meihem. Guess it's Zarmei all the way!

**Author's Note:**

> Translations!
> 
> Liebling - Darling  
> Bié kèqì - You're Welcome  
> Habiibtii - Beloved
> 
> Also, Malakai is an Arabic name meaning Angel, which I thought would be fitting for the Amari-Ziegler child. I hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave a comment.
> 
> PS, if you found the Orisa reference, props to you


End file.
